Since Ontario is expected to grow by another 4million people over the next 30 years, the federal government and the Province of Ontario are partaking in a few transit projects to move all the residents efficiently and effectively as possible. They aspire to build a new transit system that will get transit riders from one point to the next as quickly as possible and as easy as possible. The vision is to make it easier to travel from and through Mississauga and the GTA. In 2009, the Bus Rapid System (BRT) was developed as a successor to the Bus Bypass Shoulders and another BRT system. The project is expected to finally conclude in 2013, connecting Winston Churchill Blvd and

Erin Mills (adjacent to Highway 403) and along 403 between Erin Mills and Mavis Road on the West and connecting the 403/Eglinton corridor from City Centre to Renforth Dr to the East. The system is expected to cover 18km along Highway 403 and Eglinton Ave. It will link with local buses and inter-regional transit and subway systems. What does this mean for residents in downtown Mississauga?

This shift to the new transit system will allow passengers to travel in a shorter period of time and it will also move significantly more people without additional costs to the public road network. It also connects riders to its neighboring municipalities, allowing for easy access to GTA’s entire transit system.

The second project known as the Light Rail Transit System commenced in 2009 and is expected to be complete in 2030. The Light Rail transit is supposed to run along seven routes connecting Etobicoke and Scarborough to Toronto. In Mississauga, the proposed transportation system would run along Hurontario Str., from Port Credit all the way to downtown Brampton. This 20km stretch would be covered in 39minutes and is expected to accommodate about 30million transit riders by 2031.

In my personal opinion, Mississauga will highly benefit from both of these new transportation systems. Not only will residents of Mississauga be able to commute in and out of the city faster, but it will also translate to fewer cars on the road, which leads to less road damage, less pollution and a more eco friendly environment.